Protective covers for vacuum cleaners and similar appliances are well known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,506 to Foster on Aug. 14, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,682 to White on May 23, 1989; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,747 to McCaughan et al. on Aug. 11, 1992, all teach such protective appliance covers. Such covers are primarily designed to protect walls, furniture, and the like from becoming damaged by aggressive contact with the appliance. At the same time, such covers protect the appliance from itself becoming damaged through forceful contact with such objects. However, appliances such as vacuum cleaners can become damaged by contact with objects other than walls, furniture, and the like. For example, small metallic objects, once introduced into such an appliance, can cause damage to the appliance. Such prior art protective covers make no provision for preventing small, metallic objects from damaging appliances.
Clearly, then, there is a need for a protective cover that protects the appliance from metallic objects which may lie in its path and may cause damage to the appliance. Such a needed device would also protect against damage caused by aggressive contact between such an appliance and walls, furniture, and like objects. Such a needed device would be readily fastened to and removed from the appliance, and would provide adjustable positioning means for allowing optimal spacing between the device and the floor. Such a needed device, further, would be inexpensive to manufacture, wash, and otherwise maintain. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.